On The Worst Days, It’s The Women At Work Who Keep Me Going

I have been best friends with my schoolmate for the last nineteen years now. I can’t ever let go of her because we have been through a lot together. From our first school bunk and trying our first lipstick to drinking the first shot of vodka to being there for each other’s first heartbreak, we have been through A LOT. And, there’s nothing I would exchange for that – NOTHING.

While every woman has that one friend who has been there for them since forever, there’s a bond that doesn’t demand regular follow-ups or sharing dark secrets to prove their loyalty: office friendships between women.

These sweet bonds between women are selfless and noble. I never realized this until I went to the office for the first time in 2018. Even though we had four men on our team, I connected with the only woman the most because we actually never had to make an effort to be each other’s friends – in fact, it was so natural. 

Before I knew it, we went on three vacations and had sleepovers almost every week until I decided to leave the organization. After all these years, I’m still in touch with her and we still share that camaraderie. Now, isn’t that sweet?

The thing is, in the world of office life, female office friendships act like a rare and safe haven. This unsaid understanding is automatically formed somewhere between the silent moments of meetings and deadlines – where the weight of mutual challenges results in an instant connection.

In 2023, I switched to another organization. From editors and writers to even designers, we were an all-women team. More than a team, it felt like a warm family – who fought, sorted and had each other’s back every single time we faced an issue. We still do.

You see, we women, navigate through the intricacies of gender dynamics and sky-high expectations that only fellow women can understand. Without uttering a word, we acknowledge each other’s struggles in silence that a male colleague often fails to recognize. We instantly form an emotional resonance that words fail to describe. 

I have been there and in such situations, only women colleagues and their little gestures made me stand back on my feet. Be it a shared laugh, a tiny letter of encouragement or simply drinking a cup of chai from a tapri, I found my solace by knowing that I’m not alone. 

It’s rare when one finds a friendship that doesn’t demand more than what they can offer and these bonds between female colleagues are a strong reminder of strength and resilience. And, in the middle of these underrated bonds, there exists a profound and unsaid solidarity.